Economy and State
September 2010, Polity
The authors bring together classical interventions and cutting-edge contemporary research in economic sociology to discuss six broad areas of economy/state connection: property, money, labor, firms, national economic growth, and global economic exchange. A wealth of empirical examples and illustrations reveals that even if the nature of state influence on economy varies across contexts, it is always dependent on social forces.
This accessible and engaging book will be essential reading for upper-level students of economic sociology, and those interested in the major economic dilemmas of our times..
Detailed contents vi
List of Illustrations ix
1 Introduction 1
2 Property: The State's Role in Capitalist and Socialist Economies 26
3 Money: The State's Role in Monetary Policy, Government Spending, and Taxation 56
4 Labor: The State's Role in Redistribution and Employment 84
5 Firms: The State's Role in Business and Industry Governance 110
6 Development: The State’s Role in Advancing Economic Prosperity 137
7 International and Global Economy: The State's Role in Managing the Territorial Boundaries of Economic Transactions 164
8 Conclusion 192
Elizabeth Sowers is a Doctoral Student at the University of California, Irvine
• Demonstrates how states play important roles in the economy from the individual to the international level, from personal taxes to global financial governance.
• Examines five key areas: money, labour, firms, national economic growth, and global economic exchange.
• Brings together classical interventions and cutting-edge contemporary research in economic sociology.
Frank Dobbin, Harvard University
"This smart, accessible book surveys a vast and complex terrain
with clarity and insight. From the workings of monetary and fiscal
policies to debates regarding the welfare state, from the origins
of neoliberalism to consideration of the determinants of economic
development, among many other topics, Bandelj and Sowers offer a
lucid overview of key issues pertaining to the state's role in
constituting the economy in contemporary society. With clear
explanations, broad coverage, and a comparative emphasis, this book
will provide an extraordinary resource for teaching."
Greta Krippner, University of Michigan
"In a world where too many people really believe there is an
invisible hand coordinating economic activity, this book will come
as an accessible and concise discussion of the many ways in which
states are involved in the distribution and exchange of economic
goods. Bandelj and Sowers have written a welcome review of the
relationships that different state forms have with economic
Nicole Biggart, University of California